Unlooked for Blessings
by Shockwave
Summary: Through tragedy comes joy. Slash (Severus/Harry) MPREG.
1. Default Chapter

Hihi!  
  
Ok, here's the deal. I don't own these characters, I never will. I don't have a penny to my name that the government doesn't own through my student loans. Have mercy, don't sue. The plot is mine, don't plagiarize. This will be continued when I can type the parts. The more responses I get the faster I will type.  
  
Read the Warnings!!! If you flame me, I may curse at you in 4 languages and it won't be pretty.  
  
Warnings: This will be slash (Severus/ Harry eventually, maybe Remus/Black) There is also implied Het. This will also be MPREG. Do not flame me for any of these reasons.  
  
Right..ummm. on with the story.  
  
Unexpected Blessings (1/?)  
  
Hermione Finnigan strode down the hall, determined not to be any later than necessary to the Order of the Pheonix meeting. She and Seamus had already been running late when they had left Hogsmeade and when a sudden nausea had overcome her, she detoured through a student bathroom and sent Seamus ahead. He had not wanted to go, but she had convinced him that delaying the meeting would be worse, so he had gone on, grumbling the entire time. The staircase she had taken after leaving the bathroom had propelled her down this hallway that she hadn't used in school and rarely after, but she remembered that it would take her to the Headmaster's office eventually. She had almost arrived when she ran smack into a familiar chest.  
  
"Hello Hermione."  
  
"Harry! Hello! You running late too?" Hermione looked up at the smiling but tired face of one of her best friends, absently checking his face for signs of illness as he gently set her back on her feet.  
  
"Yes. Care to share a staircase?"  
  
Hermione took his arm with a giggle, smiling at the gentlemanly offer, and after a quick "Marshmallow peeps" to the gargoyle, rode the staircase up to the meeting. They slipped in the back carefully so as to not disturb the auror who was reporting on his mission. Harry spotted a free chair and urged Hermione toward it, but before she let go of his arm, she dragged him close to whisper "Seamus and I have some news for you. Meet us after the meeting in his office?"  
  
At Harry's nod of acceptance, she went and took her seat. A few moments later, familiar hands began massaging her neck as Seamus perched on the arm of the chair. Three other reports went by after the first auror, including Sirius Black. All of their reports were similar as they were assigned to protect or gather certain artifacts and information that Voldemort's agents had shown an interest in. These were turned over to Dumbledore, who in turn passed them over to members who could research and experiment with them, always searching for means to curtail and destroy Voldemort. One of these artifacts had been highly successful in the past, buying Harry and his class enough time to finish their training and graduate before being destroyed by the power it was containing.  
  
One of the reports and the object that had been retrieved raised a small debate as the use of this artifact walked the fine line between harsh and Unforgivable. Dumbledore let the debate go on for a while, but when most in the room started showing signs of frustration, he ended the discussion in favor of those who wanted to use the artifact, but with more restrictions than they had anticipated. Hermione watched this transpire with a cool eye, responding infrequently when one side or the other appealed to her knowledge as a reference. The sight of acknowledged experts and people in positions of great power asking a 23 year old woman for her agreement was quite amusing, but Hermione, quite used to this sight by now, did not smile. Dumbledore, noticing her abilities and desire for knowledge, had asked her just prior to graduation if she would undergo a little known and less frequently performed ritual in order to become a font, also known as a living, reasoning pensieve. She had enthusiastically agreed, and after a year of intensive study, and painful, terrifying potions and transmutations, she had become a living library, capable of remembering anything that she ever read or saw without error.  
  
Once the debate died down and Dumbledore was ready, he raised a few questions, assigned new missions, and generally finished the meeting. Once dismissed, the group mostly left right away, too busy and worn down with the war to remain and socialize. Even Sirius left after a moment with his adult godson. Once they were done, Harry left the office and Hermione and Seamus followed him down the staircase, nodding their goodbyes to Dumbledore on their way out. Once they reached the DADA classroom, Seamus led them to his private workroom in the back and opened the door. He had been appointed to teach DADA right after announcing his engagement to Hermione, and while neither of them were blind to Dumbledore's manipulative efforts on their behalf, they were both almost selfishly glad that both of them had ways to contribute to the war effort without being on the front lines.  
  
Hermione sat in her favorite chair and Harry, after a brief glance at the new items in the room, sat in his. Harry, unable to fight the pressure from the wizarding world, had been pressured into accelerated Auror training before becoming the lead wizard on the Minister of Magic's primary squad. He had been extremely busy, intervening in attacks and investigating possible Death Eaters, so he had precious little time to visit even his closest friends, but he still made time for Hermione, Seamus, and Ron. Hermione cleared her throat and gave a small nervous grin. The alteration in her brain chemistry, necessary to make her a font, had emphasized her precision, making her seem emotionless and cold to people who didn't know her very well, but to those who did, Hermione was still the confident, persistently affectionate girl that she had been in school.  
  
Hermione opened her mouth and closed it several times, looking a bit like a fish, but she couldn't get any words out. She sent a pleading look at her husband, who chuckled quietly before saying "Hermione's pregnant, Harry."  
  
Harry looked from one to the other quickly, checking to see if it was a joke before jumping up and congratulating them both joyfully. Hermione giggled from the big hug and smacking kiss that Harry had given her, and Seamus' had hurt from the enthusiastic handshake, but they didn't doubt Harry's delight. The antics went on for a while, and various exclamations flew before they all calmed down enough to sit and talk again.  
  
"When's the baby due?"  
  
"In seven months, just after Halloween," Hermione replied, glowing.  
  
"That's wonderful.. Had a little too much fun at the Valentine's Dance did you?"  
To be continued. 


	2. ch2

Both Hermione and Seamus blushed and Harry chortled at their discomfit. They both fell to discussing little things about the baby, their hopes, their dreams, and as Harry watched them he felt his heart pang at the sight. Their free camaraderie and friendship was apparent in the way they played off of each others strengths and made up for the other's faults, easily finishing each other's sentences. Their love was also apparent in every look they gave each other and every absent touch or kiss. Harry watched this by-play with envy, his self-imposed solitude twisting at him with greater pain than usual. While he maintained friendly contact when he could with his former classmates and to a small extent with his coworkers, he was careful to keep his contact to a minimum and not to favor any one person, in order to prevent Voldemort from taking an unhealthy interest in them. But even if this weren't the case, he would still be lonely, because he refused to accept anyone who wanted him for the sake of his unwanted fame. Countless witches and, after a poorly considered comment made in the hearing of the press, wizards threw themselves at him, hoping to be the one to break his shell and capture the dashing hero. It all made him heartsick, even the almost big brother worship that Ginny Weasly still bestowed on him after all these years was enough to turn his stomach. Many were the times that he considered permanently changing his appearance, or disappearing for a while, when the loneliness grew to be as harsh as Voldemort, but his heart, battered as it was, would not allow him to turn his back.  
  
Instead, he enjoyed these bittersweet visits with his friends. Even in this brief visit with Hermione and Seamus, he had already laughed and spoken more than he had in the three prior weeks. His heart received and unexpected jolt of fear and disbelief at Seamus' next words, though.  
  
"Harry, Hermione and I would like you to be the baby's Godfather."  
  
"Seamus, what are you saying?"  
  
"We want you to be the Godfather of the baby, Harry" Hermione repeated, giggling at the dumbstruck look on Harry's face.  
  
"You guys have got to be joking. Me? A Godfather? Have you asked Ron? Or Seamus' brothers? You can't seriously want me!"  
  
"We do, Harry. Seamus and I have talked about this for a long time. We feel that if anything were to happen to us, you would love and teach the baby best."  
  
"With all due respect Hermione, are you both crackers?!? I'm no role model for a baby! I've killed, I've maimed, lied, cheated, hurt those I've loved! How could you want me to teach your child to be like me?"  
  
"To be noble? Heroic? Self-sacrificing? Brave?"  
  
"I'm none of those things, Seamus!"  
  
"Yes you are. No matter how much you deny it!"  
  
"Regardless of that, I'm not safe for a baby! I'm a freaking walking target. Voldemort would love nothing more than my head on a platter. And I know nothing about babies. I'd probably stab it to death with a diaper pin."  
  
"Child care is learned, not known, Harry. And who's to say that the baby would be any safer elsewhere? The baby could go with Hermione's folks and get run over by a lorry. We know that you would do your utmost to protect the baby, and what more could any parent ask?"  
  
"Hermione, you're not thinking this through!"  
  
"Yes I am and I still want you to be the baby's godfather"  
  
Harry got up and stalked over to the corner of the room, visibly trembling with frustration. Hermione started to get up to follow him, but Seamus' hand on her shoulder halted her and she remained, waiting impatiently for her friend to respond. After a few moments, Harry's shoulders slumped visibly, and he turned with a kind of resigned, yet happy, smile. "I still think that you are both crackers, but since I can't convince you otherwise, I would be glad to be the baby's Godfather."  
  
Hermione squealed with delight and jumped up to hug Harry, and Seamus followed her, no less happy but more sedate. Once they calmed down, they returned to discussing the baby and other happy, non-war things, and it was late before Harry finally excused himself, and walked through Hogwarts to the lake. The smile from earlier had not faded and when he walked into headquarters to do a final check-up before heading home, his coworkers noticed and smiled back. 


	3. ch3

For diclaimers, see part one.  
  
Hey all! I'm so tickled to be receiving reviews. Please keep them coming. Like I said, reviews make me type faster. I'll try to get the next part out fairly soon. Enjoy!  
  
Harry floated alone in the night sky, enjoying the light April breeze. He and his team had interrupted a Death Eater raid, capturing three magical creatures and a Death Eater. The rest of the participants had escaped, but Harry was still satisfied as the Death Eater that they had captured would be the final nail in the coffin of the Goyle family. The night had been so nice that he had decided to take charge of the clean up and let his second- in-command deal with the prisoners and most of the team. The other three people that had stayed to clean up had apparated or port-keyed out, eager to return to their families, leaning Harry to go home alone. He had decided to take advantage of the Twin's latest gift to him, a device that had the same effect as an invisibility cloak, but worked for a broom-rider. The freedom to fly over muggle England was wonderful, and Harry took advantage of the prototype device as often as possible.  
  
Harry touched down in a dark corner a few blocks from his flat and discretely made his way home. A special key and a small spell and the door opened. Harry shivered for a moment as his home wards washed over him before settling themselves down. Harry turned and set his broom in the niche by the door, an offhand incendio lighting a small fire in the fireplace on the opposite wall. Harry began moving around, going through his nightly rituals. The flat was small, but comfortable and Sliss hissed a welcome from his perch in the corner. When Hedwig had been intercepted by a Death Eater, and killed as a cruel, childish taunt, Harry had been unable to bring himself to replace her. Sliss had just come up to Harry's desk one day on his own. His appearance had scared most of the team, and even now they did their best not to enter Harry's flat as Harry wouldn't even hear of putting Sliss in a tank or case. Harry still couldn't convince them that while Sliss had free run of the apartment, he was a perfect gentleman and wouldn't bite someone who didn't deserve it. Harry smiled at his friend and put down the mouse that he had scooped up on his way home. The sounds of the mouse moving didn't last long, and Harry smiled to himself, imagining the mouse to be the elusive Pettigrew. Sirius' name had long been cleared through the use of a time-scrying spell and veritaserum, but Harry still felt the urge to kill the man who had framed his godfather and resurrected Voldemort.  
  
Harry turned from his friend and went to fix himself a meal. Dobby had wanted to go with Harry after graduation, but Harry had convinced him to look after Professor Snape. Severus' spying career had come to an abrupt and definitive end at the end of his seventh year. Since recovering, Snape had become even more of a hermit, emerging from his rooms only to teach potions. This state of affairs had all concerned, but nothing could be done except to make the man as comfortable as possible.  
  
Harry's meal was an odd assortment of muggle and wizard foods as his shopping, like most of his duties outside of work, happened wherever and whenever he happened to be when he remembered. He was just starting on his second tomato and cheese sandwich when a disembodied "Harry" from the fireplace interrupted him.  
  
Harry turned grumpily to the fireplace. "What? I'm off duty. The prisoners are in custody and the report is not due until lunch!"  
  
"Sorry sir, but there's been another attack."  
  
Harry swore and headed for the broom in the corner. He mumbled to himself under his breath "What is intelligence doing, sitting on their hands?" Then he said louder "Where? Who is in charge? When?"  
  
"The alarm just went off. No one's there yet. Hogsmeade."  
  
Harry's blood turned to ice turned to ice and he ran out of his flat and it's anti-apparation fields faster than he ever remembered running.  
TBC....  
  
Got a question for you all. I haven't decided what to do with Draco in my story. Any suggestions? 


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